Native American College Student Dynamics at a University Native American Student Center

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore Native American identity through student interactions at a university Native American student center. Two theories guide this research: the peoplehood sense of belonging and Indigenous identity. This study explores how Native American students engage with their peers who are from similar and different tribes. The three research questions this study aims to answer are: 1) How do Native American students describe their experiences with Native students from different tribes? 2) How do Native American students perceive tribal dynamics at a university Native student center? 3) How do Native American student dynamics affect a Native specific sense of belonging at a university Native American student center? This research shifts the narrative of how organizational structures directly impact Native students, resulting in the institution being held accountable for the inadequate institutional support for the Native American student center and other Native student support services that directly influence the Native student experience. Using stories as a knowledge-gathering method (Kovach, 2009), nine Native American students, referred to as storytellers, share their interactions with students from various tribal backgrounds and lived experiences. This dissertation uses the language of storytelling to demonstrate how students share their experiences in the interviews. The researcher refers to Indigenous Storywork (Archibald, 2008) as a methodological framework to develop a culturally responsive environment that allows for storytelling. As knowledge holders and tribal citizens of sovereign nations, the storytellers provide recommendations for the university leadership, Native American student center, Native American student support services, and campus stakeholders to enhance intertribal student engagement opportunities for Native American students. As well as demonstrating to key decision makers the value of a Native American student center and its impact on peoplehood sense of belonging.